The Spellery Vol 5 July 2015 - Page 29

What does magick mean to you?

Magick means the ability to manipulate energy in such a way as to manifest desired changes around me. This is usually a very subtle process, not at all like it's depicted in the movies and TV. Sometimes the manifestations are not what you might have been expecting, and this is where you begin to realize that there just might be “Something Else” out there that's wiser and more powerful than we are.

How does being a witch help you in your everyday life?

The most important thing for me on this pagan path is the connection it has created between me and the Mother Goddess, the discovery of feminine divinity, and the life-changing results from embracing this energy. The energy is reminiscent to the Virgin Mary that was familiar to me from my childhood. I always felt guilty, as a parochial school student, because I didn't give a shit about Jesus, the Father, or the Holy Ghost-- Mary was where it was at. Her energy felt complete in itself. Miraculous, all powerful. It was the Goddess.

Your books, tell us about them and where your inspiration comes from?

Tarot: A Witch's Journey...I got up one morning, and as I was standing by the bed getting dressed, I heard a voice in my head whisper, “Write a book.” I thought, okay. Seriously. That's how the first book became a reality. I spent a great deal of my time with this book thinking about and connecting all the esoteric energies and mysteries, because everything is connected. It really is. I ran into a lady once who was deep into astrology, but she told me she would never “mess with tarot cards” because that was “different” and tarot was something dark. I tried to tell her how astrology and the tarot are actually connected-- everything is connected-- but sheidn't believe me and wouldn't listen. The writing of this book was also a learning process for me. I had never thought about the Kabbala in-depth in a personal way before, and the only way for me to write about it's connection to tarot was to jump on the pathways and walk the walk, exploring and learning as I went. Everything is connected, and the majesty and infinite possibilities of the tarot came through for me in such a unique and monumental way when I looked at the big picture.

The Gray Witch's Grimoire...this is my magick; it's my own Book of Shadows; it's my own stance and belief system; it's my own path. It's my spiritual practices in a nut-shell. I've gotten the biggest kick out of a couple of criticisms. One was that the work was short. Well, it is; it's not a big thick endless book. It's the size it is because I said all I needed to say on the topic in question. It's all the information you need to practice witchcraft. It's the only concise book I've ever seen that cuts to the chase and lays everything out on the line: Here's what you need to practice; here's how it's done; here's why it's done this way. What more is there to say? Another criticism is that it didn't have correspondences that this reader assumed you'd find in a book about gray witchcraft; she expected more correspondences uniquely connected to the gray path. Well, the gray path isn’t any different than the white path, the middle-of-the-road path, or even the black path. It's all in how you use it. It's all “in the heart of thewitch”, as the famous line from the movie The Craft goes. I love the people who “get it”. They are kindred spirits.

Tarot for Grownups...I wrote this book because I got tired of reading all the repetitive white-washed crap out there on the meanings of tarot cards. The things we (readers) deal with are not from the land of those people who's lives are all hunky-dory. The people we generally deal with feel like shit; they're often depressed, and they are finding themselves stuck in deplorable conditions or circumstances. The tarot looks at life, real life, and real life isn't always nice. What do the cards REALLY have to say about it all? I wrote this book to tell you. I sent Tarot for Grownups to be reviewed by the editor of a well-known pagan magazine. She sent me back a one sentence email: “I don't get it.” Some people won't, but for those who do, it seems to hit them in the face with the wonderful energy of Stark Reality. It's an “Aha!” moment.

The Spiritual Feminist...my most important piece of work. If I never write another word, I have accomplished all I was put here to do with this book. This is a book of feminine celebration, healing, and re-empowerment. It's a book to help women connect with the Goddess and to find out just what

on the meanings of tarot cards. The things we (readers) deal with are not from the land of those people who's lives are all hunky-dory. The people we generally deal with feel like shit; they're often depressed, and they are finding themselves stuck in deplorable conditions or circumstances. The tarot looks at life, real life, and real life isn't always nice. What do the cards REALLY have to say about it all? I wrote this book to tell you. I sent Tarot for Grownups to be reviewedby the editor of a well-known pagan magazine. She sentme back a one sentence email: “I don't get it.” Some people won't, but for those who do, it seems to hit them in the face with the wonderful energy of Stark Reality. It's an “Aha!” moment.